My Worst Fear
by Stormyskies89
Summary: Alan Tracy has a paralysing fear of lizards. The only person who can get through to him is his brother Virgil. When Alan is confronted by his worst fear and gets a venomous bite, can his family save him in time? Or will they lose their most precious treasure? On Request.


**Title:** My Worst Fear

 **Summary:** Alan Tracy has a paralysing fear of lizards. The only person who can get through to him is his brother Virgil. When Alan is confronted by his worst fear and gets a venomous bite, can his family save him in time? Or will they lose their most precious treasure? On Request.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own TAG2015, TOS, or the 2004 movie.

 **A/N:** I've extended the age gaps a bit to make it more believable. I was asked to make Alan 10 or 11, so if IR is operational at the time (Thunderbird 5 is in orbit), the others would have to old enough. Making Scott 24 and John 19 allows them to fly the ships. Where Virgil is still in training for Thunderbird 2.

 **2** **nd** **A/N:** NO FLAMES! Not accepted.

* * *

 _ **AGES: Scott -**_ 24 _ **; John -**_ 19 _ **; Virgil –**_ 15 _ **; Gordon -**_ 12 _ **; Alan –**_ 10

* * *

It started in Kansas. Alan had been outside playing with one of his friends when they spotted a snake. Now a lot of snakes are non-venomous but this one a cottonmouth snake, is extremely venomous. The fact that Steven wanted to poke it with a stick and Alan didn't want to, probably saved the 6-year-old's life. Alan's family had been visiting Alan's grandmother and on her property there were a lot of different snakes at different times of year.

Steven persisted even picking up a long stick and moving closer to the snake. Alan declined and told Steven it was bad idea. But the other boy didn't listen, telling Alan he was a wimp. But Alan was clever, he knew what snake it was and what it would do. So the second he saw the snake strike Steven he took off. He knew snakes only chased what they could see but Alan was fast and far enough away that he got back to the house and the snake hadn't followed him.

He told his father what he had happened and armed with a garden shovel, Jeff told Alan to stay and he'd go to finds Steven and take him to the hospital – the shovel was for the snake. Jeff returned and hurriedly ordered Scott to look after his brothers. The family found out later that Steven had been given the ante venom just in time. If Alan had run back to the house as quickly as he did, Steven might have died. And three years after that he did. Playing out in his own yard and aggravating a copperhead. But Alan was never the same with reptiles again. In particular snakes and lizards. But for some reason Lizards were his vice. He hated them. But he hid it well. Living on an Island you couldn't avoid them. But he tried to. Desperately.

* * *

 **Present Day**

10-year-old Alan Tracy sat by himself in the lounge. Gordon had called the others out to take a look at the Argentine Tegu that had wandered up to the pool deck. Alan hated lizards. And this was a really big one. Scott, John and Virgil tried to get Alan to join them but he told them he just wanted to sit by himself for a while. Virgil had frowned and after seeing the lizard for a while re-joined Alan in the lounge. Something was up and the 15-year-old wanted to know.

"Allie? What's up?" Virgil asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine." The pre-teen replied.

"Yeah? Two months ago when Gordon produced that spider," Virgil gave a shudder, "you nearly bowled Scott over trying to see it. But now you don't want to. What's going on in that little head of yours?" Virgil said, sitting down beside his brother. Alan didn't reply but let his head lay against Virgil's shoulder. Alan only got cuddly when he was nervous – like he brought home his report card and had a bad mark – or when he was scared – during Halloween when Gordon was at his worst with pranks. Virgil wasn't stupid, he knew something was up but if Alan didn't want to tell him he'd have to get someone to help him figure it out. But he didn't have to wait long.

That night, Virgil and Scott were startled from their game of cards when a shriek echoed through the villa. Virgil, was faster than his brothers and reached Alan's room in record time. Beating Scott by an easy 20 metres. Virgil found Alan curled up in the corner of his room as far away from his bed as possible.

"Allie? What is it, what's wrong?" Virgil asked, crouching down to Alan's level. Alan didn't answer he crawled into Virgil's lap and curled into Virgil's embrace and just whimpered. Virgil looked around for something that would have scared Alan so much, and he saw – there sitting quite happily on Alan's pillow. A tiny lizard. A Northern Alligator lizard. This one was small. Only about 7 inches long. It wasn't even fully grown yet.

"Allie, did the lizard frighten you?" Virgil asked quietly, so that their brothers – who now stood at the door – couldn't hear him. Alan nodded. Virgil slowly stood up bringing Alan up with him. Virgil was able to hand Alan off to Scott and he went over to Alan's bed and collected the tiny lizard in his hands and set it down on Alan's balcony, where it scuttled away and down the house back to jungle. He pulled the screen door of Alan's balcony closed so nothing else could get in.

"There we go Al. All done." Virgil didn't say what had scared Alan, no one had seen the lizard – they were more focussed on Alan. The 10-year-old looked around his room and gave Virgil a small watery smile, when he saw that the lizard was gone. Scott, John and Gordon all left, leaving the two by themselves.

"Do you want me to tell the others?" Virgil asked. Alan shook his head.

"Just Dad." Alan said. His father deserved to know.

"I can do that. Just Dad. If Scott, John and Gordy eavesdrop I can't help that ok? It won't be my fault." Alan nodded, he knew what his older brothers were like.

"Are you sure it's gone?" Alan asked.

"Yeah. It went down back to jungle. I closed the screen door, so nothing else can get in uninvited." Virgil said, Alan smiled once more and Virgil pulled him into his chest once more for another embrace. Virgil was the one that could look after them and he was a great secret keeper. He still hadn't told Grandma it was John who raided her chocolate last Easter. Despite the fact that John was sick for days afterwards. So this secret he would keep from his brothers for Alan.

* * *

Telling his father wasn't as hard as Virgil thought. And he didn't have to worry about telling Scott, John and Gordon. They all listened at the door. They all said they had no idea about Alan's phobia. And they promised to be a little more compassionate about it too. Virgil told them that the lizard was the reason for Alan's tears earlier. Scott and john seemed the most surprised.

"So he's really freaked by them. Why?" Scott asked.

Virgil shrugged, "I don't know. And I'm pretty sure he won't tell unless he's pressed and I also know he's more likely to close up if pressured for the why. So I'll let him explain in his own time." Virgil said. The other agreed that it as for the best if they didn't ask for the information and let Alan tell their dad or Virgil in his own time.

* * *

This time the shriek was accompanied by the sound of a slamming door and Virgil – who sat at the piano – getting a lap full of a 10-year-old, sobbing boy.

"Allie? What is it?" Virgil asked. Alan simply clung to Virgil like a lifeline. Scott had looked up from his magazine and Virgil motioned for Scott to go deal with it. Once Scott had gone Virgil tried again.

"Scott's gone, Al. You wanna tell me what it was this time?" Virgil asked rubbing his brother's back.

"Ask. Gordy." The boy said between sobs. Virgil was going to throttle Gordon if he ever got his hands on him.

"What did he do this time?" Virgil asked.

"It was his rubber lizard. I know because it didn't look real but…Virgil what's wrong with me? I can't even look at picture of one!" Alan was clearly distressed.

"There is nothing wrong with you Allie. It perfectly normal to be scared of something. You know me and spiders aren't the best of friends. And Gordy and snakes. Scott and moths – I'll never forget the scream I heard when he opened his wardrobe and one flew out. It was one of those big ones. Screamed like a little girl. You know what Johnny hates right?" Virgil said, Alan looked up at him still sniffling.

"Gravity?" Alan offered, Virgil laughed.

"Very funny little brother. But no, Johnny stays up so much because he can't handle thunderstorms. Has been terrified of them since he was little. It was something about the noise and the way they were so unpredictable. Or something like that. Don't you worry buddy. It is all perfectly fine." Virgil told him, giving him an extra squeeze and pressing a kiss to Alan's hair.

"Can I stay here for a while?" Alan asked looking up at Virgil again, the teen smiled and nodded.

"Sure, Jelly Bean. You wanna practise again? Or do you just wanna watch?" He asked.

"I'll just watch right now." Alan said, moving to sit beside Virgil and rest his head on his brother's shoulder watching his brother's fingers fly over the keys.

* * *

It was approaching the end of April when it happened. The Tracy's refer to it now as 'the incident' not wanting to dwell on the details. But it tested Virgil's knowledge of medicine and it also meant that Jeff and Scott went into 'smother-mode'. Virgil may be 15 but he had been seen reading medical journals and he knew a lot about injuries and sicknesses. But this was even big for him. Luckily for them, Brains – who was the main medico on the Island – had several antivenins sent out from the mainland. Including a few that the boys had never heard of. But it was the sheer amount of spiders, snakes and other venomous creatures that called for them. One of which wandered up to the pool deck in search of prey. Now usually the Komodo Dragons didn't bother the brothers. And usually Alan wasn't outside whenever they wandered up to the deck. It was one of the largest. In fact if asked for a recount Scott would tell you it was the largest they could get. Three metres or 10 foot. They never normally ventured that high up, they preferred the lower regions of the Island. Scott was with Thunderbird 1, John was in the library, Gordon was down on the beach and Virgil was at the piano. Jeff was the only one nearby to hear his son's scream. Jeff was on his feet and out to the pool deck in seconds. Jeff was at Alan's side instantly. He pulled Alan's head to his chest and eyed the Lizard with extreme distaste. Alan was sobbing loudly, the dragon watched with its tail swishing back and forth slowly.

"It's alright Alan. It's looking for food that's all." Jeff whispered. The boy clung to his father. He was clearly terrified. Jeff was able to activate his watch and call on his sons.

"Dad?" Scott and Virgil answered simultaneously.

"How fast can you get to the pool deck, boys? Your brother needs you." Virgil and Scott didn't even answer. Virgil was first to arrive and when he saw the Komodo dragon he sucked in a sharp breath. He put out an arm to pull Scott up short too. Komodo Dragons didn't like competition. And right now – Alan, Jeff, Virgil and Scott were all competition.

* * *

Jeff hadn't faced this kind of threat before. Saving his son from the snow that had taken Lucille was one thing, but from a large monitor on the pool deck was quite another. Particularly with his middle son reminding him that this particular lizard was venomous. Jeff couldn't do anything except try and keep Alan calm. And that was easier said than done.

"Virgil! That's enough!" Jeff snapped, Alan had started to shake even more at the mention of the fact that Komodo Dragons were venomous and quite often only killed when they felt threatened…or were hungry. At this point it was staring quite intently at Alan. Possibly debating within itself if he was a good meal. For such a large animal it moved very quickly. No sooner had Jeff pulled his son closer had the lizard been able to get its teeth into Alan's calf. The pre-teen screamed and with the help of Scott, Virgil was able to scare it off back to the jungle. As Jeff lifted a sobbing Alan into his arms, Scott called on Gordon and John to get to the infirmary. And to get a doctor on line, Virgil would need it.

"Do you have the antivenin?" The nurse they'd been able to get a hold of asked.

"Yeah." Virgil responded holding it and a needle in his hand. His hands were shaking just a little. He was 15 for goodness sake! He hadn't done thing before!

"How old is Alan?" The nurse asked.

"10, almost 11. But he's small for his age." Virgil said, knowing that a lot of ten year olds couldn't curl up on their 15-year-old brother's knees at the piano.

"Ok, so maybe the dosage should be that for someone two years younger than him So for an 8 year old. About 13miligrams. You said it bit his leg?" She asked, it sounded like she was filling out paper work.

"His calf." Virgil said.

"It shouldn't be too far to his major organs just yet, he's a very lucky boy." She said, Virgil finished injecting the antivenin and Alan relaxed as he pulled the needle out.

"So he'll be ok?" Virgil asked.

"He'll need to rest. But yes he should be fine." The Nurse said. Virgil thanked her and they ended the call.

"He'll be ok?" Scott asked.

"He just needs to rest." Virgil told him. Unfortunately for the Tracy's the antivenin took longer to work than the actual venom. So Alan was in for a rough and painful ride, but one effect of the venom was for the victim, if human, to slip into unconsciousness. And Alan did just that.

"You said he'd be ok!" Gordon growled.

"He will be! Maybe this is a side effect of the venom!" Virgil said, trying to convince himself just as much as his brothers – surely he hadn't just killed his baby brother! Virgil would never do that intentionally or knowingly. He might threaten to when they turned his hair blue or something but not actually do it!

* * *

Alan came to about two months later. It had been a long and tiring time. Jeff had hardly left the infirmary and Virgil and Scott had to force him to leave his youngest son's side to sleep and shower. Even then it was done reluctantly.

"I'll not move til he wakes." Jeff had said to begin with.

"Do I have to get Grandma up here, Dad? Because I will." Virgil said, his hands resting on his hips in an uncanny impersonation of his grandmother. Virgil took after her more than he cared to admit. He may have his father's dark hair, his mother's eyes and love of art, but he could give his grandmother run for her money on temper. Jeff had reluctantly agreed when Virgil told him, he'd stay with Alan and fetch his father if there _any change_. Good…or bad. Thankfully the news that brought Jeff out of his study the afternoon of July 6th was that Alan had woken. Scott had convinced his father to get rid of the mountain of paperwork for International Rescue (still in its infancy), that Alan was in good hands under Virgil's care. Jeff agreed and had been looking over the plans for Thunderbird 4 – a class C subversive – when Scott came in to tell him Alan had woken. Jeff almost made it to the infirmary before Scott did. Virgil stood outside the infirmary, an unreadable expression on his face.

"He's still very tired and sore. But we need to find a way to get him over his fear. There has to be a way." He said seriously before letting his father and brother into the room. There is always a way to get someone over a fear. But how? It wasn't always easy. But with John and Scott on his side, along with Gordon and his father. Virgil was sure to figure out a way.

* * *

Alan looked at his family with a raised eyebrow. He also eyed the tiny lizard in Gordon's hands.

"Really?" He said.

"Lizards – most of them anyway – can't hurt you Al. They're just as curious of us as we are of them. This little guy, is a native Australian lizard, the blue tongue lizard. He's harmless unless you're a grasshopper." Virgil told him, taking the lizard from Gordon and slowly and carefully showing him to Alan. The blonde looked down at the lizard that sat in his brother's warm hands and just lazily flicked his tongue out.

"He doesn't seem dangerous." Alan said carefully.

"He's not. Perfectly harmless." Virgil said, the blue tongue was relaxed in Virgil's hands and didn't flitch when Alan gently ran one finger down his back as if he was petting the lizard, it sat there quite calmly. Unfazed by the small human touching him, he just lazily flicked his tongue out. Alan was nervous, but he wasn't screaming and that was a plus. Scott, John and Jeff all watched as Alan gently petted the lizard. They were watching for any sign of distress from the 10-year-old but he seemed pretty good really. He was handling it well.

"He's not so scary." Alan said with a smile.

"Not all lizards are dangerous Allie. The little ones aren't at all. You just need to know when to call us and when not to. Hopefully we can keep the monitors away from the pool deck, we've been unlucky. But the little ones – they are just curious." Scott said. Alan smiled. He wasn't fond of the monitors but maybe, just maybe he could handle the little ones. It would take a while to get used to it, but he knew that they didn't want to hurt him.

"Can I hold him?" He asked. Surprised but Virgil nodded as he placed the lizard in Alan's warm hands, the lizard wriggled a bit before settling down as well in the 10-year-old's hands. Alan smiled up at his family. He wasn't completely cured, but at least he could deal with the smaller lizards. Hopefully that the Komodo Dragon wouldn't come near him again. At least they could hope.


End file.
